BIG CYPRESS BASIN Reducing neighborhood flooding and improving water quality StormwaterguideDECa.pub-... Thursday, December 08, 2011 15:50 page 1 Composite The regional network of canals and water control structures that criss-cross Collier County, along with hundreds of man-made lakes and smaller canals, serve a much greater purpose than merely providing scenic, water-front views. Without them, rainwater would simply gravitate toward the lowest areas and leave standing water for weeks. The South Florida Water Management District with its’ local arm, the Big Cypress Basin, is the primary agency for protecting and managing our local water resource. Along with Collier County, the City of Naples, and the City of Marco Island, we balance the water needs of current and future users while protecting and main- taining our flood control system. Flood control in Florida is a shared responsibility and is only successful when all three components (primary, secondary and tertiary systems) are designed and constructed to work together and are maintained in proper working order. COLLIER STORMWATER SYSTEMS Simply put, a stormwater system is a tool for managing the runoff from rainfall. When rainwater lands on rooftops, parking lots, streets, driveways and other impervious surfaces, the runoff (called stormwater runoff) flows into grates, swales or ditches located around your neighborhood. From here, stormwater may drain into a stormwater pond. A stormwater pond is specifically designed to help prevent flooding and remove pollutants from the water before it can drain into the ground water or into streams, canals, lakes, wetlands, estuaries or the Gulf of Mexico. Your stormwater pond might be located in your backyard, down the street, or on a nearby property. Stormwater runoff may flow directly into the nearest water body without treatment. This runoff carries pollutants such as litter, motor oil, gasoline, fertilizers, pesticides, pet wastes, sediments and anything else that can float, dissolve or be swept away by moving water. This Neighborhood Guide to Stormwater Systems pro- vides the following information: • A history of stormwater systems • How stormwater systems work • Who is responsible for stormwater systems • How individuals can take part in preventing water pollution and flooding • How stormwater ponds can be aquascaped STORMWATER SYSTEMS — A HISTORY Wetlands are Florida’s original stormwater management systems and once covered more than half the state. Long ago, before the land was developed, Florida was an area with many wetlands, also known as swamps or marshes. Not only are wetlands important ecological systems because they provide habitat for unique and important organisms, they also 1950 2000 serve as stormwater control sys- Naples Bay tem in two ways. First, wetlands help control flooding by slowing down storm surges and absorbing rain water before it reaches water bodies. Wetlands also help filter out nutrients and sediments collected by storm water as it runs over the earth’s surface before the nutrients and sediments reach fragile waterways. Prior to enactment of stormwater management rules, poorly planned development led to destruction or filling of many of our wetlands. Those actions increased the danger of potential flooding as storm water had no natural outlet without wetlands. Also, development has led to increased pollutants in Naples Bay and Moorings Bay from septic systems, fertilizers, pesticides, motor oil and heavy metals that wash off lawns, sidewalks, roads and parking lots. Consider these facts about the impact of storm water on our water resources: • Untreated stormwater runoff is considered the state’s leading source of water pollution. • The amount of stormwater draining to Naples Bay increased from an area of 12 square miles to 127 square miles due to drainage canals. • Storm water contributes approximately 80-95 percent of the heavy metals (lead, copper, cadmium) that enters our waters. • The uncontrolled growth of algae in some waterways is often the result of poorly managed and/or untreated storm water. In the early 1970s, the Florida Legislature passed laws requiring treatment of storm water, and neighborhood stormwater systems were established to mimic the natural role of wetlands. Restoration projects have demonstrated over the years that, with proper treatment, the detrimental effects of stormwater pollution can be reversed. HOW STORMWATER SYSTEMS WORK Stormwater systems are designed to mimic natural processes so individuals may have them on or near their property without realizing it. What appears to be a natural indentation in a yard behind a house may have been designated as a stormwater swale. What looks like a wild patch of shrubbery may be an important vegetation buffer around a pond. Stormwater systems come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms, but basically there are four types. Retention basin Retention basins are designed to store runoff for about 72 hours to allow water to seep through soil into the shallow groundwater aquifer. A basin can be man-made or it can be a natural, flat depression. Grass stabilizes basin slopes and filters sediments. Retention systems are closed systems, constructed so that stormwater does not reach natural water bodies. Stormwater swale Swales are either man-made or natural areas shaped to allow water to be quickly absorbed into the ground or to allow the water to flow to other waterways. As in a shallow ditch, a swale promotes water absorption through soils. Swales hold water during and immediately after a storm, but are typically dry at other times. They are open systems and allow wa- ter to flow into water bodies. Dry detention Dry detention systems are normally dry and are designed to collect and temporarily hold storm water before a gradual release of the storm water. Wet detention Wet detention systems (ponds) are the most recog- nizable stormwater systems. They are designed to allow material to settle and be absorbed. After a storm, water drains from a pond through a pipe in the “out flow” structure. Part of the pond—known as the permanent pool—is always below the level of the drain structure. Sometimes aquatic vegetation is planted around the pond’s perimeter to help filter sediment in stormwater runoff. The next time it rains, take note of the direction water drains in your neighborhood. Often it will initially flow off the road and lawns and into a swale or storm drain. The water then may flow into a detention basin, or pond, which may hold it until the basin is full and then spills water into our local canals and then to the Gulf. The illustration below shows an example of a wet detention pond and how it works. Notice the normal water level. When storm water flows into the pond through a pipe or channel, called an inflow, the water level rises in the pond. As the water rises, sediment and pollutants—such as bacteria and heavy metals—picked up on the way to the pond sink to the bottom. The outflow structure usually has a small pipe or opening that sits just above the normal water level. When the water level reaches the outflow structure, the treated water will begin flowing out of the pipe. Not all systems work exactly in this way, but this is a standard design for wet detention ponds. StormwaterguideDECa.pub Wednesday, December 07, 2011 14:54 page 8 Composite TAKE PART IN PREVENTING WATER POLLUTION You can help conserve and improve the quality of water that enters the stormwater ponds and promote a healthy environment within your community. Even if you do not have waterfront property, the rain that runs off your roof, lawn and driveway eventually will end up in our area canals and bays. Contaminants such as oil, grease, metals, and pesticides tend to build up on surfaces in urban areas. The contaminants come from sources such as pavement deterioration, tire and brake pad wear, vehicle emissions and spills. They may also come from yard and garden care, and pet feces. In older systems, stormwater runoff picks up these substances and transports them DIRECTLY to our lakes, canals, bays and the Gulf. Whatever enters a storm sewer systems is discharged UNTREATED into the water bodies we use for swimming and fishing. Naples Bay is considered to be badly polluted with copper by both the state of Florida and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The likely culprit is the copper from the copper sulfate that has been applied to local stormwater ponds in an effort to treat and control algae. On top of that, the sulfate component of copper sulfate has been identified as the agent that causes mercury in the environment to form methyl mercury, which then creates a pathway for mercury to enter the food chain. The mercury ends up in the fish we eat, often at levels considered to be a health hazard to some people. RESPONSIBILITY FOR STORMWATER SYSTEMS In Florida, the general responsibility for permitting stormwater systems rests with the water management districts. Single family residential stormwater permits in rural areas, like Golden Gate Estates are handled by FDEP. After developers complete construction of permit- ted systems in residential areas, the permit and the legal responsibility for maintaining these systems are typically passed on to a homeowners or condominium owners as- sociation. It is then the sole responsibility of the association to op- erate and maintain the stormwater system to keep it functioning properly. This responsibility applies to every homeowner in the neighborhood, whether or not they live adjacent to a detention or retention basin. Nutrients are the main problem with most ponds. The main reason for any algae or aquatic plant problem is there are too many available nutrients in the water for the plants to grow and thrive. Grass clippings, leaves, runoff from fertilized lawns and farm fields or pastures, animal waste (from geese, ducks, fish, etc.), and organic matter in the pond (dead aquatic plants) are some of the most common sources of nutrients in ponds.